Moonlight

br>


    Remus Lupin sat in the Gryffindor common room, looking out a window. It was late. He could tell that by the house elf that had come by three times, to make sure the fire had not gone out, but wasn't a roaring fire. Every time, the poor creature had looked over Remus and was scared out of its wits once it saw he was actually alive. But it truly didn't matter how late he stood up. The next day was Saturday. He could sleep as late as he wanted.

    Truth was, he was only comfortable after the moon had set. It was what was keeping him up. Only a few days had past since his last transformation, but he could still feel the moon call to the beast trapped inside him. It wasn't so bad, like in the full moons, where he couldn't control himself, but part of him wanted to be out there in the night, hunting, being the true animal he is.

    Surely, it has gotten better ever since the others started joining him, but so much was of him was still animal. They didn't understand this. Who cared about the little adventures they all had together? It was putting their lives in danger. He couldn't live with himself in he ever hurt any of them, especially-

    "Moony?" Sirus Black was standing in his pajama pants, leaning against the doorframe of the staircase to the boys' dormitories, rubbing his eyes. "What are you still doing up?"

    "I couldn't sleep," he replied, not taking his eyes away from the almost perfectly circular moon in the night sky. He didn't dare look at Sirus. New feelings for him were barging unwelcomed into his life, and he really didn't need that.

    Why Sirus? He thought to himself. Why not James or Peter? I'm not as close to them. Why did I have to fall in love with Sirus?

    "Whatcha lookin' at?" asked Sirus, walking over to Remus and leaning over him to look out the window. "There's not much out there."

    "Nothing," said Remus, praying that Sirus would soon get off of him before he did something he'd regret. "I'm just being my old, usual, star gazing self."

    The taller boy got up and sat in an armchair beside Remus. "I'm sure you are. Oh, did you hear about James?"

    "No."

    "Seems like he has a new secret romance, or so says that snobby Hufflepuff girl, Rita Skeeter."

    "I hate her. She's always spreading those nasty rumors. Remember the one about me. I swear to God! Can you believe people actually thought that my parents bribed the teachers into giving my good grades? I mean, just look at my robes!"

    "Yea, I know. Then that one about- well, never mind. She'll get what's coming to her, I bet. Anyway, do you want to know who she says it is?"

    "Sure."

    "That Slytherin girl, Lily."

    "She's actually really nice. I had to work with her in potions once. Isn't she Lucius Malfoy's girl, though?"

    "No, that's.... um.... I forgot her name."

    "Oh. Not like it's important at all."

    "Nothing Lucius does is important, except to him."

    They both laughed.

    God, Remus thought. I love his laugh.

    He then shifted uncomfortably and started at the ceiling.

    Sirus watched him and frowned. "Remus, I'm worried about you. You don't talk to me as much as usual; you seem shy around me, even though we've been friends since first year, even in a crowd. And then you do things like this! You stay up until dawn. You open up to me and then close down."

    "I don't have the faintest idea of what you're talking about," mumbled Remus in reply. "I feel perfectly normal."

    Sirus snorted. "I'll believe that once you look me straight in the eye and say that."

    Remus sighed. Sirus has done this before, but has never won. Well, maybe it's time to tell him the truth.

    He lowered his eyes from the ceiling on to Sirus' and was instantly falling into them.

    "Sirus, I.... I.... I'm going to bed." So he stood up and started walking towards the staircase, screaming at himself internally for loosing courage.

    "Remus, wait!" Sirus ran a few steps and grabbed his friend's arm. Remus spun to face him, and few strands of hair falling into his eyes. Sirus let go of him and gently pushed the hair out of Remus' face. Then he pulled him near, wrapping his arms around the other's waist. Remus, in turn, wrapped his arms around Sirus' neck.

    Their faces neared slowly, and they kissed, bathed in the moonlight.

    James Potter woke up to the sound of his alarm clock beeping. He was dreaming of his forbidden love, Lily, but it was sort of disturbing to kiss a beeping girl.

    It must have been going for some time, because he heard his best friend, Sirus Black yelling.

    "I swear to god, if you don't turn that bloody thing off, I'm going to come over there and shove it down your throat!"

    "Ugh," another of his friends, Remus Lupin moaned. "Will you shut it off already?"

    James sat up, turned his alarm clock off before a riot broke out, and shook his head. It was when he put on his glasses; he realized both voices came from the same bed. He gathered up his things to go take a shower.

    "It's about bloody time."